Lautenberg refugee amendment extended for additional year

A law facilitating resettlement for Iranian religious minorities, including Jews, seeking refuge was extended for another year.

The language, known as the Lautenberg amendment, was included in the massive spending bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.

“The Lautenberg amendment has served as a lifeline for over two decades to tens of thousands of Jewish, Christian, Baha’i, and other religious minorities fleeing Iran and the Former Soviet Union,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a Jewish congressman who sponsored the language.

The language must be renewed with each year’s budget. HIAS, the Jewish group that leads community advocacy on immigration issues, has in recent years attempted to convince Congress to make the law permanent. (JTA)